In a short time my fingers became cramped, and the sharp rock cut my knee to such an extent that the perspiration broke out clammily on my forehead, as I realised that in a few minutes I must loose my hold and drop into the whirling water beneath, unless I could find some other means of supporting myself.  I looked about, and presently found a small hole for my right hand—­one deep enough to get a fairly good hold upon—­and putting my fingers into this, I gently let my left hand glide down the rock and bring up the sash on that side.  This I placed in my mouth, gently changed hands and hauled up the right end of the sash, then, after many attempts, with my mouth and right hand I managed to tie a knot in it so as to form the sash into a short endless band.  This I dropped down, and putting my foot in the loop, had a somewhat secure support.

[Illustration:  LA CREUX DERRIBLE.]

There I hung for about three hours, till the tide only left about two feet of water on the upper part of the floor of the cavern.  When I attempted to descend I found I could not straighten my right leg because of the constant pressure for such a long time upon the knee-joint, so I waited till the cave floor was almost bare, and then let myself fall down as gently as possible.  I was not hurt by the fall, but could not stand, as my knee would not allow itself to be straightened.  I sat down for an hour till the tide allowed me to hop out in great pain.  Oh, how glad I was to be out of that dreadful place; and even in my crippled state I rejoiced at my liberty!  Upon getting to the foot of the Cotills cliff, I whistled for my faithful “Begum,” but no “Begum” came, so I sat down and rested, and whistled, and whistled again, till presently away he came tumbling down the breech in the cliffs, to my great delight.  After a bit I despatched him to fetch “Eddy,” and while that worthy was on his way to my help, managed, with great exertion and risk, to scale the cliff.  “Eddy” bore me up the zig-zag, and home by the lower path, and thankful indeed was I to get there.

I bathed my knee, and did all I could for it, but it was many days before I fully recovered the use of the limb; in fact, for three days I used a crutch, which helped me along famously.  Fancy a Crusoe on crutches!  After this adventure I made up my mind that I was not born to be drowned.

Now, a week after my Creux adventure another incident occurred which greatly influenced my career both as regards my stay on the island and my after life.  This was a curious discovery I made quite by accident.

It happened to be a very wet morning when I rose, and looked as if it would continue all day, so I thought I would stay indoors and tidy up my dwelling.  I soon prepared my breakfast, and sat down to enjoy it, and as I and my dog were discussing it, I could not help noticing the dilapidated state of the stained and ragged wall-paper.  It had probably been on many years, and I recollected that somewhere among my stores I had about a dozen rolls of new paper, so I said to myself, “Why not strip the walls and re-paper the room?”